Palm Oil is Better Than Crude Oil.
One of the best speeches I heard this year, was on Saturday, November 3rd 2012, in London, at an audience with the Governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, when he said that, palm oil was better than crude oil, and urged us to plant a palm tree each. Without a single doubt, the writer agrees 100% with Owelle Rochas Okorocha. Before, the advent of crude oil, the former Eastern region survived mainly thru proceeds from palm oil plantation. Then Eastern Region recorded a lot of progress and developments. The writer has also visited the Adapalm Plantation at Ohaji Egbema, Local Government Area. This plantation was inherited by Imo State from the old Eastern Region, being that Ohaji/Egbema is in Imo State. This is one of the, if not the greatest investment of the present Imo State government. Yes, palm oil can yield sufficient revenue for both the state government and the indigenes. More so, since there are species of palm trees that could mature and start yielding in 3 years. I remembered my late grand uncle, who used to deal with palm oil/nuts etc. He was self sufficient and employed some women in the village. One good thing, about palm tree plantations and palm productions are that, there are so many by products associated with it. I understood thru the Governor, that the palm seed cost about N200 (two hundred naira). The message by the governor, to plant a palm tree, is in agreement, with my earlier campaign for tree planting, way back, before Owelle became the governor of Imo State. Hearing the governor, preach plant a palm tree, re-echoed a deep passion in me. Most importantly, let’s remember that global warming is real. Take a look at the floods that happened in Nigeria this year (2012). Look at the hurricane sandy that almost destroyed America. Then we should take this message of tree planting very seriously. Tree planting is a way to fight global warming. To make it better, let’s plant economic trees (palm trees etc) that will yield revenue for us in the near future. May God bless Nigeria. C.V.Akuta UK.
